Game apparatus



7 surface of the cylinder or character thereon.

Patented Aug. as, 1923.

UNI.

so stares PATENT. OFFICE- FREDERICK MILLER AND H e Ln'rr L. NOE, or WAMEGO, KANSAS.

' GAME APPARATUS.

Application filed September 12, 1922. Serial No. 587758.

T 0 all whom it may concern; p I

Be it known that Fiuinnnroic' MILLE and HUeHLn'r'r L. Non, cit zens ofthe United States, residing at Vamego, in the county of Pottawatamieand State ofKansas, have invented certain new and useful Improve.

rest will indicate certain data, whichmay' be employed,;1f desired, in playlng games.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rolling cylinder, havingcharacters arranged thereon, and a weighted pointer located in cooperative relation to the characters, with means to cause a return movement of the cylinder, such means being con-- structed to'permitof the cylinder stopping with the pointer adjacent to any selected A furtherobject of the invention is to provide means to lock the weightto the revolvingcylinder, 'so that all. parts will. then-rotate as a unit, upon the end of the" forward movement, such means automatically releasing the connection between the weight and cylinder when the weight returns to the normal position.

A further object of the invention is t'o provide a device of' the above mentioned character, which is simple in construction, strong .and durable. j Other objects and advantages ofthe in.- vention willbe a ofthe following description. 1 1

In the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same, Fig. 1 is a side elevationof a device embodying our invention,

'Figi-2 isa central vertical longitudinal section through-the same,

'Fig. 3-is an end elevatio'n of the device, Fig. 4 is a transverse section-takenon' line'4-4of Fig.2, and,

'Fig. 5 is a similar view 5-5 of Fig. 2.

taken on line "In the drawings, wherein for the purpose ppar'en't during the course of llustration is shown a preferred embodi ment of our invention, the numerallO des:

ignates the bodyportion of thedevice, which is preferably in the form of a cylinder. This cylinder has wheels or rolling elements 11 rigidly secured in its opposite ends, by-any- 6 suitable means. The wheels 11 project radi ally beyondthe periphery of the cylinder 10 fora substantial distance, as shown.

- The cylinder 10 isprovided upon its peripher v'and near one end with anannular set of characters 12, which for the purposeof lllustratlon are shown as numerals,.arranged COILSGCHtlVGbK. The 1nvent1on is in-no sense restricted to the use ofany particular kind of characters, as thesame may widely vary, asfound advantageous. 1 t

The wheels. 11 are provided centrally thereof with sleeves or bearings 13, rotatably receiving a shaft witha head 15.

;Pivotally: mounted upon the shaft 14, between the head 15 a'ndthe adjacent wheel 11', is a pointer 16," maintained substantially vertical by a weight 17 formed upon its lower end. The pointer is bent horizontally at its top, into a finger 18, provided with a pointer 19, arranged to travel in proximity to the'characters 12. I

' The "longitudinal displacement of r the shaft 14 is preventedby washers 20 and-21'.

14, provided at one end Atransverse pin 22'is' carried by the shaft 14, upon one side of the washer 20, as shown. f l

Inorder thatthe'shaft 14 may not'ordinarily rotate to any considerable extent we provide a weight 23, preferably segmental, andhaving an opening {24 near itstop, to receive the shaft 14, clamped therein by a set screw 25. p p v The numeral 26 designates a pair 'of curved leaf springs which are faced in opposite directions within the cylinder 10 and have corresponding ends secured thereto,'as shown at 27, while the free ends of these leaf springs areadapted to be moved toward and away from the cylinder." Flexible elements 28, such as cords or the like, are suit ably connected with the free ends of thefleaf springs, and are connected with'the shaft '14 Means are provided toilock the weight 23- to the cylinder10,"so"that all parts rotate I and are oppositely wound thereon." i

to the topof the weight, as shown at 30, and having their free ends adapted to drop into engagement with the periphery of the cylinder. r I

In operation, the device is held in the hand of the operator and rolled forwardly from him. This rolling movement causes the cords 28 to wind upon the shaft 1st, and when the springs 26 are placed under suflicient tension, with regard to the momentum of the device, such springs will cause the device to roll rearwardly in its return. movement. The cords: ill then be wound upon the shaft let in. an opposite direction and the device will stop and roll forwardly, and

will come to rest. Particular attention is called to the fact that there is sullicient slack in the cords 28 whereby the cylinder may make a complete revolution without placing the springs under tension, and this will permit the device'coining to rest with the pointer 19 adjacent to any one of the several characters 12. This will give the device a large range, with respect to the element of chance. lVhen the device is rolled forwardly upon the winding impulse, with suflieient force whereby the springs 26 will draw the weight 23 to the upper position, Figure 4, then the rods 29' will drop into engagement with the periphery of the cylinder 10, causing the entiremechanism. to become a unit, in a further forward rolling. This will prevent the strings from unwinding from the shaft when the device is sta tionary, at the end of the winding movement.

The device is susceptible to various uses in connection with game apparatus, or may be used alone. The device is attractive and interesting in operation, and embodies alarge range with respect to the element of chance.

It is to be understood that the form of our invention herewith shown and described is.

to be taken as a preferred example of the same,-and that various changes in the shape,

. size, and arrangement of parts, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. In a device of the character described, a member adapted to be rolled and provided with a group of characters extending about its axis of rotation, a shaft pivotally mounted upon the member, a weight mounted upon the shaft, means including a reacting yielding element permanently connecting the member and shaft, and a-pointer pivotallymounted upon the shaft and having its lower end weighted and its opposite end arranged in cooperative relation to the group of characters.

2. In a device of the character described,

a rolling member provided uponits periph ery with characters, a shaft pivotally mounted upon the member, a weight carried by the shaft to oppose its rotation, an elastic element connected with the member, a flexible element'permanently connecting the elastic element and shaft, and a pointer permanently pivotally mounted upon the shaft and having one end weighted and its opposite end traveling in proximity to the group of characters. 7

- 3. In a device of the character described, a hollow rolling member provided with group of characters extending about the axis of rotation thereof, means mounted within the hollow rolling member to automatically return the rolling member at the end of its impulse travel, and an indicator arranged exteriorly of the rolling member and permanently pivotally connectedwith one end of the member and having its lower end weighted, such lower weighted end being arranged exteriorly of the roll'ng member whereby the indicator remains substantially vertical when the member is traveling upon its return movement, said indicator cooperat ing with the group of characters.

4. In a device of the character described, a rolling cylinder, a shaft pivotally mount ed therein, a weight connected with the shaft and projecting therebelow, a leaf spring secured to the cylinder and extending transeversely thereof with its free end moveable approximately radially of the cylinder, a flexible element connecting the shaft and the free end of the leaf spring, and a pointer permanently pivotally mounted upon one end of the shaft and weighted so that it remains in a substatially vertical position during the impulse and return travels of the cylinder.

5. In a device of the character described, a rolling cylinder, a shaft pivotally mounted therein, said cylinder having a group of characters surrounding said shaft, a weight secured to the shaft, a spring secured to the cylinder, a flexible element connecting the spring and shaft and adapted to be wound upon said shaft, said flexible element having sufficient slack whereby the cylinder may rotate for substantially a complete revolution withoutwinding the flexible element upon the shaft, and a pointer pivotally connected with the shaft and having one end cooperating with said characters and its opposite end weighted.-

6. In a device of the character described, a rolling member, a weight pivotally mounted thereon, a spring connected with the mem her, a flexible element connecting the spring and weight, and separte means to automatically connect the weight-and member when the weight is shifted to the upper portion of said member.

8. In a device of the character described,

a casing having a rolling port ion, a weight pivoted upon "the casing, resilient means connecting the weight and casing, and a rod pivotally connected with the weight and adapted to drop into engagement with the casing when the weight moves to the upper position in the casing. V

1: i .1 9. In a deuce ()1 the character doscrioec,

a casing having a rolling portion, a shaft pivoted within the casing, a weight depending from theshaft, resilient means connected between the shaft and casing, and pivoted rods connected with the upper end of the weight.

10. In a device of the character described, a rolling cylinder, a shaft pivotally mounted therein, a weight secured to the. shaft, a pair of leaf springs arranged wlthin the cylinder and extending transversely thereof and having corresponding ends attached to the cylinder, the free ends of the leaf springs being movable approximately radially with respect to the cylinder, and

flexible elements connected with the free ends of the leaf springs and oppositely wound upon said shaft.

' 11. In a device of the character described,

a rolling cylinder having a group of characters surrounding its axis of rotation, a shaft pivotally mounted within the cylinder, a welght securedto the shaft, a

plurality of leaf springs extending transversely within thecyhnder with correspond ing ends thereof attached to the cylinder and their free ends being adapted to move approximately radially within the cylinder,

flexible elements connected with the springs and oppositely wound upon said shaft, each flexible element. having sufiicient slack whereby the cylinder may turn a selected amount without winding the flexible element upon the shaft, and a pointer permanently pivotally connected with the shaft and having one end thereof cooperating with said characters and its opposite end weighted.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures.

FREDERICK MILLER. I HUGHLETT L. Non 

